Government Briefs 01.24.13

Calling Wireless Companies
Hoping to prompt wireless communications companies to expand their coverage, eliminating dead zones in East Hampton, as well as to raise revenue for the town, perhaps, by leasing public sites for antennas and other equipment, the East Hampton Town Board is developing a request for proposals from the industry. Councilwoman Theresa Quigley has been pushing the effort.
At a meeting last week, Peter Wadsworth, a member of the town’s budget and finance advisory committee, said that the group, in conjunction with Councilman Dominick Stanzione, has spent a number of months delving into the topic and has provided a summary of the issues to the board. The group, he said, supports the development of a “comprehensive plan for the town” on wireless communications, “that all carriers have access to.” There should be a “level playing field” for all the companies, Mr. Wadsworth said. The town adopted a wireless master plan in 2001, Arthur Malman, another member of the advisory committee, said. Ms. Quigley asked that the committee review the request for proposals.

To Examine Salaries
Councilwoman Quigley has proposed forming a compensation committee to examine the salaries of non-union town employees such as town department heads.
At a meeting on Jan. 15, she said that the town should have a system for regular analysis of salaries. Department heads’ salaries were last examined, she said, in 2001 and 2002, and were regraded at that time. “None went down,” she said. She looked to Supervisor Bill Wilkinson, who worked in the human resources section at Disney, for knowledge of how such an analysis is done.
Mr. Wilkinson said that the process would begin with defining the responsibilities associated with particular jobs. During the previous procedure, he said, “there was no internal equity analysis” to compare one position to another.
Ms. Quigley balked a few weeks ago at resolutions approving department head salaries that have already been set in the 2013 budget. She has raised questions, in particular, about the salary given to Kim Shaw, the Natural Resources director, as a restructuring of that department and her duties did not take place as had been anticipated.
“I was blindly approving salaries for people, I have no idea based on what,” Ms. Quigley said.

At the Life Saving Station
A new Web site, at amagansettuslss.org, provides information about the former Amagansett United States Life Saving Service station and documents its restoration. A committee is raising money for the restoration of the building, which is owned by the town and has been moved to its original site off Atlantic Avenue in Amagansett, near the ocean beach.
An East Hampton contractor, Ben Krupinski, has been replacing exterior doors and windows at no cost, and a monetary donation from John and Anne Mullen will pay for stripping and painting, Councilwoman Sylvia Overby reported recently to the town board. Ms. Overby thanked the family of the late Milton Miller, who had suggested memorial donations to the life saving station project.
According to a resolution passed by the board, inmates in a vocational training program at the county Sheriff’s Department will do interior demolition work at the station.

Housing Authority Board
At an organizational meeting on Jan. 10, the East Hampton Housing Authority Board of Commissioners re-elected its slate of officers to their positions.
David Lee will continue as chairman, Barbara Jordan as vice chairwoman, Patricia Keegan, treasurer, Patricia Gilchrest, secretary, and Arthur Goldman will continue as a member at large. Catherine Casey is the Housing Authority’s executive director; she was hired in May to replace Maureen Murphy, who retired.
The authority owns and manages three apartment complexes comprising 93 affordable rental apartments that provide housing for more than 200 East Hampton Town residents — the Avallone Apartments in Montauk and the Accabonac Apartments and Springs-Fireplace Apartments in East Hampton.
The monthly meetings of the authority’s board of commissioners are open to the public. The next meeting will be held at 3 p.m. on Feb. 7 at the Housing Authority office in the Fishelson Building at the Accabonac Apart